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222. Free From What?

“My attorney neighbor and his wife came over for dinner last night,” Stan began.

“Good time?” I asked.

“Yes,” Stan replied, “we had an interesting discussion about freedom. My neighbor was talking about limits on free speech.”

Continuing, Stan then said, “He likes to talk about the nuances of the law, such as whether if someone says something that could cause harm, but it doesn’t cause any harm, whether that person can be punished.”

“The old question about yelling fire in a crowded theater,” I said.

“Exactly,” Stan replied. “The argument of whether it is ok if no harm is caused. I made the point that driving drunk is a crime whether or not anyone or anything is injured by the drunk driver.”

“And then as I am prone to do,” Stan said with a smile, “I tried to make a spiritual point about freedom.”

“In what way?” I asked.

“By accepting the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross I am free from the law of sin and death,” Stan responded, “but that does not mean I am free to do whatever I want apart from God.

“In other words,” Stan added, “just because I have my ticket to glory, it does not mean I am free to go on doing exactly what I want before I get on the train.”

“Isn’t the bottom line here,” I added, “all about not imposing on God’s grace and mercy, doing whatever I want because I know I am forgiven?”

“You are right, my friend,” Stan responded. “We are set free to be God’s, not set free to be our own.”

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Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that I am freed from the law of sin and death by accepting the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross. Thank you for all of the freedom you have made available to me in being free to be yours. Please, Lord, forgive all of the times I have taken advantage of that freedom by pursuing what I want to do apart from you. I ask for all of the help you can provide in leading me to view the freedom you have granted as being free to be yours and to serve you in every possible way. Please lead and help me to follow. Thank you that I can and do bring all of these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.